Can Anyone Compete With The Celtics Out East?
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The Boston Celtics just finished up one of the most dominant championship runs in NBA history. Winning 64 regular season games and losing just 3 in the playoffs doesn’t happen to any old team; the roster and staff that the historic franchise has put together is one to be feared by the rest of the league. Not only that, but essentially all of their key players are under contract for the foreseeable future, and the talks of breaking up the dynamic Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown core have finally been put to rest by their recent success.
So, that leaves the question: can anyone compete with the Celtics, specifically in the Eastern Conference, where the C’s went mostly unchallenged last year? While they are certainly the favorites to once again make the NBA Finals heading into the 2024-2025 season, there are a handful of squads that can realistically set their sights on dethroning the reigning champions, and making a Finals push of their own. In no particular order, here are three teams that are poised to take it to the Boston Celtics next year.
The New York Knicks
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This year’s #2 seed in the East will have their eyes set one spot higher this time around, and now have a roster capable of making it happen taking that step. The brilliance of Jalen Brunson was put on full display during the later stages of this past season, and the short yet prolific point guard has proved he has what it takes to lead a team to a deep playoff run. Julius Randle is now a two-time all star, one who has been through many highs and lows in New York, but certainly has the skills to be a valid second option to Brunson. The Knicks will need him to improve upon his historically dismal playoff averages, yet optimism remains amongst the franchise that the veteran forward has it in him to do just that.
Tom Thibodeau’s team will also need to retain their key free agents this summer if they want any sort of chance of giving Boston a run for their money. The front office will likely need to shell out big bucks to keep both OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein, both of whom played big minutes in the squad’s most recent playoff run. However, if the Knicks are able to run back largely the same core from this past year, and keep them all healthy, then they have as good a shot at beating the Celtics as anyone. Their scrappy, defensive identity will challenge Tatum and Brown, and their physicality will ensure that no game is ever easy. The historic Knicks versus Celtics rivalry may be on the brink of writing its next chapter.
The Milwaukee Bucks
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On paper, saying that a team that only won two games in the opening round of the playoffs before being sent home has a good chance to take down the defending champions sounds like a crazy take. But, the Bucks are no average first-round exit. They have one of the best duos in the entire NBA in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. Their core players of Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Bobby Portis all have championship experience, as does their head coach, Doc Rivers. The team, albeit with slightly different players, came back from being down 0-2 in the Finals to win it all just three years ago. And the reason why the Bucks have had back-to-back first-round collapses is because Antetokounmpo suffered untimely injuries that kept him sidelined during stretches of both series. The Bucks are better than what their recent playoff results show.
Now, this is not to say beating the Celtics will be a cakewalk for them. They still need to round out their roster this offseason. They still need Doc Rivers to develop a scheme that gets the most out of his star-studded duo of Giannis and Dame. They still need to work out the inconsistencies that plagued them for much of the past season. But none of these are gargantuan tasks. If the Bucks can achieve these realistic goals, they absolutely have a squad that can take it to the Celtics.
The Philadelphia 76ers
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Another squad coming off an opening round defeat, the 76ers are also looking to rebound after a disappointing year. Nick Nurse’s team enters this offseason with some of the most available cap space of any organization in the NBA. With that money, they are expected to chase a big name free agent, such as Paul George or Jimmy Butler. By themselves, neither of these players are the top tier, MVP caliber superstars they used to be. But, on a Philadelphia team that already HAS an MVP in Joel Embiid and a rising all-star in Tyrese Maxey, a George or a Butler acquisition could be the difference between another swift playoff exit and a championship. Those three surrounded by solid role players such as Buddy Hield, Kelly Oubre, and Paul Reed could spell trouble for the rest of the league.
Joel Embiid has never made the NBA Finals before, and he will likely need to go through Boston if he wants to change that. Health has primarily been the reason the dominant big man has never achieved much playoff success, and his availability will once again be key for the Sixers this year. But, when is on the floor, Embiid is clearly one of the best basketball players in the world, and if surrounded by Maxey as well as Paul George or Jimmy Butler, he is absolutely capable of giving Boston a run for their money. Getting this offseason right is essential if Philadelphia wants to win a championship with Joel Embiid, but if the front office is able to pull off the right moves, they could be the ones to dethrone the mighty Celtics.
Which one of these teams, or one not named, do you think has the best chance to compete with the Boston Celtics this upcoming season?
